The Best-Looking Guy in Furnace
by creativeone298
Summary: Alex likes Donovan. A lot. How Alex tests the waters between the two elicits laughter from both parties.


Donovan had been showing Alex around Furnace, and had finally stopped putting up the big, bad, tough-guy act. Alex appreciated the advice Donovan gave him about the prison, but Alex also really started to enjoy Donovan's company.

Alex never really worried about girls in the land above. Some of his mates did, but he was too focused on stealing things and getting more power to really find out if he liked anyone. When he remembered before Furnace, he never remembered feeling anything more than friendship for a girl (and even that was rare), even when his friends were just starting to feel romantic feelings toward girls. He always figured that he was too career-oriented or a late bloomer. Alex did have to listen sometimes when his friends described liking a girl. It was always a fluttery, sometimes tongue-tied feeling. His attraction to Donovan was starting to mirror what he remembered from his friends, and he was sort of confused, because what he had heard about gay guys was that they dressed nicely and had effeminate mannerisms. Alex never dressed nicely, and though he wasn't the manliest, he wouldn't consider himself girly.

Two days had gone by since Alex's initial notice of his feelings toward Donovan. It felt weird talking to him, and Alex was tripping on my words where he hadn't before. Donovan noticed, joking that 'the prison may have gotten to you.' At that point, Alex was sure that it wasn't the prison, but he needed a way to ask about how Donovan felt about gay guys, especially gay guys that liked him and were his cellmate.

A day later, Alex finally got to figuring out a conversation starter to see how Donovan feels about this topic, but it wasn't going to be easy to say.

"Hey, D. You know how guys around here get their kicks?"

"You're really cryptic, Alex. You have to do better than that."

Alex gulped. "Well, how do the guys…uh…"

"I was messing with you. I knew what you were talking about and wanted to watch you squirm." Donovan chuckled. "Mostly they do it with other guys in the prison."

"So…are you cool with that then?"

"Hey, you're probably going to get STIs or something like that if you go around banging random dudes, but have at it, I guess."

"Always nice to have that information when you get older."

"Spill the beans, Alex. Who is it? Is it Zee? I'll bet it's Zee. He's actually pretty cute, but not the best-looking guy in the prison."

"And who would that be?"

"Me." Donovan took a breath in. "Seriously, is it Zee? The kid seems to like girls, so I'd wait until he's been here a bit longer and as eager as you apparently are."

"Nah, it's not Zee."

Donovan quirked an eyebrow. "Well, to my knowledge, you know Toby, Zee, Monty, and me. You seem fond of Toby, but in a little brother way, you already said it wasn't Zee, and Monty's so mopey, I couldn't imagine why you'd want to drill him…" a catlike grin spread across Donovan's face. "Could you possibly be going for the best-looking guy in the prison?" Alex didn't say anything, but his face reddened. "I dunno man, he seems kind of out of your league, but luckily, he likes small, weedy nerds who share his cell."

"Are you playing with me?" Alex asked nervously.

"Not until you want me to."

"Just to let you know, I actually kind of like you and I just wanted to see how you were about the whole gay thing."

Donovan gave a hearty laugh. "I hope I'd be fine with the 'gay thing,' seeing as I am. It's not worth it to hate more things about yourself than you have to in Furnace."

"Just say if you like me back or not."

"Calm down, Alex. Yes, I like you back. I've got some conditions though. We can't let the whole prison know that we're dating or we're going to be the butt of endless gay jokes and harassment. I don't do mushy stuff unless if we're alone in our cell with no one watching us. I also want to continue to stay the way we were, friendship-wise. I want a boyfriend who's also going to be my best friend."

"I can handle being best friends that occasionally kiss." Alex smiled. "Anyone outside of the cell?"

"Nope. Just those damn wheezers, and what do they care anyway?"

Alex leaned into the middle of his cell, hoping to find Donovan's body somewhere so he didn't fall in the toilet, and they kissed. It wasn't a good kiss, worthy of romantic films, but it was the best they could get in Furnace, so they were happy.

* * *

><p>I believe that Alex had a crush on a girl before Furnace. I'm taking artistic license here and changing this small detail.<p> 


End file.
